Governance Hour #11: Parameter Change to Reduce minPoolCost to 75 ada

Cardano Governance Hour #11 | Reduce minPoolCost to 75 ada

📅 Wednesday, September 23, 2026   ⏰ 15:00–15:30 UTC
Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TEf0_RTp_k 



In this episode of the Cardano Governance Hour, Nicolas Cerny sits down with Ryan Wiley, also known as Cerkoryn, to discuss the proposal to reduce Cardano's minimum pool cost from 170 ada to 75 ada, a change that would lower the parameter by approximately 55.9%.

The proposal argues that the current 170 ada minimum has become increasingly burdensome for smaller stake pool operators as block rewards have declined. It proposes 75 ada as an interim adjustment intended to improve the economics and competitiveness of smaller pools, while Cardano continues to consider broader changes to its stake pool incentive structure.

During the discussion, we'll explore the reasoning behind the proposed reduction, including:

• The changing economics of stake pool operation and declining block rewards
• The impact of minPoolCost on smaller and low block-producing pools
• The relationship between minPoolCost, stake pool concentration and decentralization
• Recent research and the changing assumptions around minPoolCost as a Sybil deterrent
• The proposed 75 ada level and why it was selected
• The longer-term direction toward proportional mechanisms such as minPoolMargin under CIP-0023
• The potential impact on Treasury inflows and the effectiveness of reverting the parameter if needed

Governance Hours are designed to go beyond written documentation and create space for deeper discussion, clarification, and community understanding around important ecosystem proposals.

Governance proposal: https://dreptalk.com/t/reduce-minpoolcost-to-75-ada-e2a2f7fc/ 

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